1. Melt margarine in a pan, add parsnips and apple and cook for 5-10 mins.
2. Add stock and simmer for 20 mins until parsnips are cooked.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Add the soya milk and blend until smooth.
If  the taste is too sharp with a cooking apple, replace it with a normal apple such as a Cox. 

From Viva! 0117 944 1000. For more delicious Christmas recipes and help going veggie visit www.viva.org.uk/christmas


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Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

You need ...
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
700g (1/b 6oz) pumpkin flesh, roughly chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1.2 litres (2pts) water or vegetable stock
200ml (7fl oz) Alpro soya alternative to milk
4 tbsp Alpro soya alternative to cream

Makes 4 big bowls.


For the breadsticks:
You need ...
4 assorted part baked bread sticks
2 tbsp olive oil

1) Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to soften.
2) Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the water or stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 mins until the pumpkin and sweet potato are really tender.
3) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan, Gas 6). Cut the bread in half lengthways, then make several cuts one third of the way up the length to look like broom bristles. Repeat with the other bread, put onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 5-8 mins until becoming golden.
4) Stir the Alpro soya Light into the soup, whiz everything together in blender or processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan, gently warm through to serve. Pour into bowls and finish with a swirl of Alpro soya alternative to cream.
 
From Alpro Soya

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Gulasch (Potato)
 
You need ...
500g peeled & quartered potatoes
200g chopped onions
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
dash of cider vinegar
½ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon caraway
salt & pepper to taste
Water or vegetable stock
 

1) Fry the onions until pale brown.
2) Add the paprika, stir, add a dash of vinegar, stir, add the rest of the ingredients and enough water or stock to cover the potatoes.
3) Boil gently until potatoes are cooked.
 
If you wish you can also add peppers, green beans and/or tomatoes - all taste nice!
 

From Eva-Maria Mansell (Morden)

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Jackie's Nut Roast

You need ...
 
1 Onion, peeled & chopped                                       
1 Celery stick, finely chopped                                   
1 oz Margarine                                                           
4 Garlic cloves, crushed                                                        
350 g/12 oz Canned chestnuts, mashed
12 oz Cashew nuts, grated
4 oz Walnuts, grated
4 oz Cheese, grated
¼ pint Red wine
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon brandy
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon each dried thyme & basil
2 eggs
Salt & pepper
Parsley, tomato & lemon slices to garnish
 
Oven 190C/375 F of Gas No 5 - Grease 900g/2 1b loaf tin & line with greaseproof paper.
 
Fry the onion & celery in the margarine for 7 minutes. 
 Add the garlic & fry a further 2-3 minutes.  
Remove from the heat & add the remaining ingredients, seasoning well.  
Spoon into the tin. [you might like to put a thick layer of chestnut puree through the middle]
Cover with foil & bake for 1 hour.  
Remove foil & bake a further 15 minutes, till firm in the centre.  
Remove from oven & stand for 5 minutes.  
Loosen the edges with a knife & turn out on to a serving dish.  
Garnish.
 
From Val Fitzgerald and her friend Jackie (Fleet)

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Pumpkin Curry

Healthy meal served with slices of naan bread, some rice or chapatti.
 
You need ...
1lb pumpkin
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp cooking oil
2 tsp mixed curry powder
½ tsp salt (to taste)
2 tbsp water
2 fresh green chillies, chopped
1 bunch coriander, chopped
 
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4-6
 
   1. To prepare the pumpkin, peel off the skin and dispose of the seeds then chop the pumpkin into small    
        pieces.
   2. Chop the onion and the garlic.
   3. In a saucepan add the cooking oil then add the onion and garlic. When they have become brown add the
       curry powder, salt and two tablespoons of water. Mix together and cook for 2 minutes.
   4. Add the chopped pumpkin.
   5. Cover the mixture into the saucepan with a lid and simmer (with occasional stirring) for 20 minutes until soft.
   6. Now add the chopped green chillies and chopped coriander. Cook for a further 2 minutes.

 From The Coriander Club Cookbook, Spitalfields City Farm, compiled by Lutfun Hussain, Coriander Club Coordinator and London Leader 2008. To purchase a copy of the cook book please contact Bryony.Mathie@london.gov.uk 

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Red Lentil and Chickpea Dahl

A tasty dish that can be served with rice, naan, chapatti, even noodles, pasta, couscous,
or on its own as tasty spicy lentil soup
 
You need ...
1/2lb red lentils, washed
1/5lb split chickpeas, washed
2 pints water
1 onion
3 gloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 or 3 green chillies
Bunch of chopped fresh coriander
 
For the finishing flavouring:
You need ...
2tsp of oil
1 onion, chopped
3 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp paspiron   (paspiron is a mixture of 5 different seeds bought in a packet at a Bangladeshi supermarket)
 
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6

   1. First wash the lentils and add to the water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, and as the lentils froth up,   
       skim the residue away from the surface using a large flat spoon.
   2. At this stage add the spices, the salt, and the garlic. Now turn o a medium heat and allow simmering for 40
       minutes.
   3. You can add two or three chopped green chillies, and a bunch of chopped fresh coriander to finish this thick,
        filling dahl. If you prefer a dahl closer to the consistency of soup, use more water. You can also add 
        tomatoes for flavour.
   4. Now for the final flavouring, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a separate saucepan or wok. Add half an onion and
        three cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Fry to golden brown and add the Paspiron seeds, and pour the whole
        mixture into the dahl. Ghee can also be added at this stage to enhance the flavour.

 
From The Coriander Club Cookbook, Spitalfields City Farm, compiled by Lutfun Hussain, Coriander Club Coordinator and London Leader 2008. To purchase a copy of the cook book please contact Bryony.Mathie@london.gov.uk

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Vegan Christmas Brandy Truffles
Preparation/cooking time 2 hours
makes about 25 truffles

You need...
Truffles:
1 tub vegan ‘cream cheese’ like Tofutti Original Creamy Smooth or Original Creamy Sheese
454g icing sugar
345g dark chocolate
1½ tsp brandy
Dark cocoa powder
Topping:
200g icing sugar
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tub green angelica

1 Spoon vegan ‘cream cheese’ into a bowl, sieve in the icing sugar and beat well until smooth.
2. Break the chocolate into a bowl and then immerse the bowl into a saucepan of simmering water on the top of your oven. Stir with wooden spoon as it melts.
3. Add melted chocolate to ‘vegan cheese’ and icing mixture, along with the brandy.
4. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Now shape the mix into truffles (about ½ inch balls). Put the cocoa powder into a bowl, add the truffles and then gently shake the bowl so they become coated.
6. For the topping, mix second quantity of icing sugar according to packet instructions, then spoon onto truffles individually. Create holly and ivy by cutting up the angelica and dried cranberries to form leaves and berries.

From Viva! 0117 944 1000. For more delicious Christmas recipes and help going veggie visit www.viva.org.uk/christmas

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Viva!’s Deluxe Chestnut, Port and Thyme Strudel
Serves 6
Preparation/cooking time 1 hour

You need...
Filling
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
450g chopped nuts
1 packet vacuum-packed pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped
1 tin of chestnut puree
60g breadcrumbs
Big pinch thyme
4 tbsp port
1 tbsp soya milk

Sprout mixture
10 Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp Pure margarine or other dairy-free spread
Ground black pepper to taste

1 packet puff pastry, defrosted

1. Pre heat oven to 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4
2. Lightly fry the onions, garlic and celery until soft.
3. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and stir.
4. Boil sprouts until soft then mash with margarine and pepper.
5. Line a baking tray with foil, grease and mould half the filling into a rectangle.
6. Using a spoon, make an indent down the centre, spoon in and press down the sprouts.
7. Layer the rest of the filling on top and smooth off with pallet knife into a rectangle. 
8. Bake for 20 mins.
9. Meanwhile flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll pastry thin into a rectangle, three times the width of the filling.
10. Using two food slices, transfer the filling into centre of pastry and cut neatly around it, removing what remains in whole pieces.
11. Cut this excess pastry into long strips and layer across the top of the strudel, brushing with soya milk to attach ends to the strudel’s edges and glaze. Repeat in the other direction to create a lattice.
12. Decorate with holly and berries shaped from spare pastry.
13. Make for 20 mins until pastry is golden.
14. Serve with traditional vegetables and trimmings.

From Viva! 0117 944 1000. For more delicious Christmas recipes and help going veggie visit www.viva.org.uk/christmas

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